Generic lighting control consoles are used to control lighting systems such as are used for example in theaters or concert stages. These lighting systems usually include a large number of lighting devices, for example stage spotlights, wherein the lighting devices may also be switched individually in a variety of ways between a plurality of lighting conditions, for example different colors. These different lighting conditions are stored and controlled by means of programmable parameters in the lighting control console's lighting program.
For this purpose, standard lighting systems may include as many as several thousand lighting devices. In order to be able to control such complex lighting systems, the generic lighting control consoles are equipped with a digital processor that enables digital data and signal processing. A digital memory is also provided for storing the data, and particularly makes it possible to store lighting programs.
In order to configure the lighting program and to control the program while it is running, the operator must enter operating commands. Such commands may be intended to select a certain lighting device or adjust a certain parameter, for example. Mechanical control elements, such as pushbuttons, rotary knobs, or slide controls are provided on the known lighting control consoles so that these operating commands may be entered. The operating commands assigned to the individual control elements may be altered by appropriate menu changes so that complex lighting programs may be configured and controlled accordingly.
The known lighting control consoles have the disadvantage that entering operating commands is becoming more and more difficult due to the high degree of complexity of the lighting programs. The operator must switch between a plurality of submenus just to enter the various parameters of a single lighting device, which militates against intuitive and fast understanding of the lighting control console's mode of operation with respect to the complex lighting programs.